Commentary
Yet Another Attempt to Circumvent the Supreme Court’s Ruling to End Race-Conscious Admissions
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The American Medical Association is prodding medical schools to find workarounds to the Supreme Court’s ban on race-based college admissions. They aren’t alone. An article on a popular medical news and opinion site (KevinMD.com) features statements from other key players in the healthcare establishment who “retaliated [to the Court decision] by vowing to continue affirmative action practices.” For example:
- The Association of American Medical Colleges: “We remain committed to enhancing health professional education and practice by emphasizing critical thinking, innovation, effective communication with all patients, and increased access to patient care for an increasingly diverse population … We will work together to adapt following today’s [June 29, 2023] court decision without compromising these goals.”
- Thomas NASCA, CEO of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: “ACGME standards do not require race-based affirmative action to achieve diversity, and this [Supreme Court] decision does not require programs and institutions to change their resident selection practices.”
- Leaders at Stanford Medicine: “While we adjust to this new environment in a manner that conforms with the law, we want to emphasize that Stanford Medicine firmly believes in the transformative power of diversity, in all dimensions…While the ruling changes the landscape of university admissions, it does not change our resolve or our values.”
The article contrasts these statements with commentary from Do No Harm staff in claiming that “a vocal minority of physicians believe that admission to medical school should be based on merit alone.” Whether we’re truly a vocal “minority” or the voice of a dispossessed majority, we remain steadfast in the pursuit of common sense over ideology and reason over pseudoscience. These principles dictate our commitment to overseeing that the Court’s decision is implemented with fidelity. “Merit alone” must not simply be the rallying cry of “vocal” whistleblowers, but the modus operandi of all American medical schools.